chuckt

finding things. sharing things.

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Mitt well captures the belief of the majority of people in the country that the system is rigged on behalf of the very wealthy. It’s not the wealth itself. People don’t begrudge Romney his wealth or his “success.” That’s Romney spin…the problem Romney faces is that he’s a living breathing example of what many people see as the problem. And by his stated positions, he doesn’t think it’s a problem. If you’re running Mitt’s campaign, that’s a problem.
Don’t Be Stupid: It’s Not About The Money (via tpmmedia)

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“It’s a watershed event, what happened,” Dodd admitted, noting that opponents’ “ability to organize and communicate directly with consumers” was a game-changing phenomenon that he hadn’t seen in more than three decades in public office.” — MPAA President and former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd’s reaction to last week’s SOPA/PIPA protests, revealing that he really doesn’t understand how people use the internet, even as he’s cheerleading for legislation that would affect how people use the internet. It reminds me of videotaping my grandfather in the mid-80’s, and he asked me to move a bit closer. I zoomed in with the camera, and said “there, I’m closer!” and he just shook his head in wonder at the amazing machine.
“It’s a watershed event, what happened,” Dodd admitted, noting that opponents’ “ability to organize and communicate directly with consumers” was a game-changing phenomenon that he hadn’t seen in more than three decades in public office.” —

MPAA President and former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd’s reaction to last week’s SOPA/PIPA protests, revealing that he really doesn’t understand how people use the internet, even as he’s cheerleading for legislation that would affect how people use the internet.

It reminds me of videotaping my grandfather in the mid-80’s, and he asked me to move a bit closer. I zoomed in with the camera, and said “there, I’m closer!” and he just shook his head in wonder at the amazing machine.

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God knows how much money we’ve given to Obama and the Democrats and yet they’re not supporting our interests. There’s been no greater supporters of him than we’ve been from the first day and the first fundraisers continuing until he was elected. We all were pleased. And, at its heart institutionally, Hollywood supports the Democrats. Now we need the administration to support us. This is a very important time for Hollywood. The issue at hand — piracy — is a legitimate concern. But Google and those Internet guys have been swiftboating the entertainment industry by saying we’re trying to shut down the Internet just because we don’t want them to advertise pirated movies.

Hollywood’s Obama Donors On President’s Piracy Stand: Not Give A Dime Anymore (via joshuanguyen)

The irony is that The Media Companies are behaving as if Google, Netflix, EBay, Amazon, and the like DON’T dominate the Internet. They do and the digital space is a neighborhood with different leadership and a different set of rules than that of an Internet-less society. 

One of those rules is if you put a couch out on ther curb in this neighborhood, you are signalling to everyone in the neighborhood that anyone is free to take it. Like it or not, that is what digital files are online. 

Traditional Media puts digital files out on the curb and is shocked to find them “taken”, so they do it again, and again are shocked when they’re “taken”, so then they do it AGAIN. At this point you’d have to assume that they like this happening because they do have the choice to NOT place it out there digitally but continue to do it anyway.

Conversely, they are not attending to developing effective ways to monetize the way in which Internet distribution functions. (They just want Internet distribution, monetization, and promotion to work the same way as it all has by traditional means.) What they’ve needed to do for a long time is to get wise about their files and hire smart digital minds to invent (YES, INVENT SOMETHING NEW!) ways to make the Internet custom of distribution WORK for them. With 75% of all video watched online via people passing it around, that’s a distribution opportunity you cannot ignore. 

Unfortunately, instead of developing ways to make the wonderful world of the Internet work for them, they are trying to combat it. The very last item on their list of options is “adapting”. 

It’s sad that it’s becoming so laughable.

(via tanya77)

(via tanya77)

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Confrontational question on the campaign trail: “What will you do to support the 99%….?”

Romney replies by saying the questioner (and Obama) are actually *causing* division within the country, because they’re pointing out the *already-existent* division between economic classes.

In other words, “Stop saying that! You’re making it worse! USA! USA!”

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mn70s: Beautiful Austin, Minnesota, mid 1970s, before its re-branding as SpamtownUSA. Image via Minnesota Historical Society

mn70s:

Beautiful Austin, Minnesota, mid 1970s, before its re-branding as SpamtownUSA.

Image via Minnesota Historical Society

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I’ve always liked this aging neon sign at Nicollet and Diamond Lake Road. Have never been to the place, nor the Best Steak House that’s next to it. Trendy foodie new places come and go, but somehow little joints like this manage to soldier on

I’ve always liked this aging neon sign at Nicollet and Diamond Lake Road. Have never been to the place, nor the Best Steak House that’s next to it. Trendy foodie new places come and go, but somehow little joints like this manage to soldier on

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[Flash 10 is required to watch video]